Surabaya Government Commited to Shortening Licensing Process

Surabaya, E Java (Antara) - The Surabaya city government in East Java is committed to shortening the licensing process to only six months from two years. Many businessmen had complained about obtaining a building construction permit (IMB) as they had to secure an environmental impact analysis (Amdal) permit first, acting chief of the Surabaya city human settlement and spatial planning office Eri Cahyadi said here on Thursday. "While Amdal touches local residents investors must do much to make compromises with them," Eri said following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Surabaya city government and the Indonesian Real Estate (REI) of East Java chapter on Thursday. In the future, the licensing process could be done in parallel at five offices, he said adding the Surabaya would soon issue a regulation to shorten the licensing process. "In the past, people could not start construction jobs if they had not secured an IMB. But now it is enough to hold a written statement of city planning (SKRK) to get application processed by SKPD," he said. (*) Reported by Abdul Hakim